Healthy Hair and The 5 Foods That Promote It

Did you know that the health of your hair is largely affected by the foods you eat? Many women and men around the globe are wondering what foods can best serve their crown of glory. Let's take a quick look at some super nourishing foods that inspire healthy hair growth. 1. Sea Weed/Algaes - Raw seaweed & algae, like Dulse and Spirulina, supply the body with minerals and proteins to rebuild and grow thick, healthy hair. Seaweeds also assist in promoting blood cell production, which leads to improved circulation, an important protocol for healthy hair. Did you know that many Morrocco Method's shampoos have seaweeds in them? Tip: Be sure to get your seaweed and algae from a clean source. 2. Leafy Greens - Raw, organic greens alkalinize the blood and provide us with minerals and vitamins to nourish the hair shaft. Purslane is a standout in this area, as it contains an abundance of essential Omega 3 fats, as well. Look for dark leafy greens like bok choy and dandelion greens. These bitter tasting greens do wonders to detoxify the blood and promote healthy hair. 3. Organic/Wildcrafted Herbal Teas - Teas help mineralize the body. Nettle tea, in particular, is a star player when it comes to hair health. It is brimming with healthy hair nutrition, such as vitamins A, C, K, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron and chlorophyll. Try some flower teas, like chrysanthemum, rose or chamomile tea, to add extra beauty to the hair. You are what you eat, so why not eat beautiful things! Tip: Create nourishing sun teas to rinse the hair with for added shine and luster. 4. Essential Fatty Acids - If hair is to look its best, it must be fed from the inside out with undamaged fats. These come in the form of nature's perfect gifts to us--coconuts, avocados, purslane, raw grass-fed cultured butter and (one of my favorites) raw OG pumpkin seed oil! Any of the above will nourish your hair from the inside. To fortify the outside of your hair, apply Euro Oil or any of MM's conditioners to saturate the scalp with these essential fatty acids. Tip: Do your best to keep healthy fats in their raw, natural state. Consuming at least a tablespoon a day of good fats will ensure the body has the best nutrients to repair itself with. 5. Aloe - Aloe is a superfood in a class of its own! It's rich in polysaccharides that strengthen the hair and skin. If grown properly and kept raw and pure, aloe is loaded with minerals like silica, which are crucial for thriving hair! Aloe is a crucial ingredient in all MM's shampoos to ensure that your hair grows long and healthy. Tip: Add aloe to your smoothies to thicken them and enhance the nutritional value. Bonus: Smoothie Recipe for Healthy Hair "Paleo and Raw Vegan Friendly" 1/4 cup dulse or other sea veggie of choice 1 inch of aloe fillet, skin peeled off if you prefer 1/4 cup berries of choice (raspberries are my favorite) 1/2 a ripe reed avocado Handful of Fresh Nettles or Green of choice 1 cup of spring water or make a nettle tea steeped in cold springwater for 6 hours in the sunlight. 2 stalks organic celery 1- 3 tsp. Spirulina Powder Optional: Top with Fresh Bee Pollen. And, if you like it sweeter, add Stevia to taste. Blend on a high in a vitamix blender or something similar, with intentions for your healthy hair at heart as you sip your smoothie!

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5 Tips for Maximizing Your Blonde Henna Hair Color

Blonde henna is the ideal dye for creating a natural sun streaking effect. However, personally mixing and applying the dye can be a very intimidating process. There is a lot of literature surrounding blonde henna--whole pages of tips and tricks--and you often don't know where to start. We make it easy in our guide: 5 tips for maximizing your blonde henna hair color.

1. Clarify your hair beforehand with an apple cider vinegar rinse

Simply put: cassia obovata (blonde henna) sticks better to clean hair, rather than hair that's dense with chemicals or residue. One of the best ways to clarify hair is with an apple cider vinegar rinse. Apple cider vinegar is a naturally occurring  antibiotic and antiseptic. It works by increasing the activity of your scalp's sebaceous glands, thereby flushing out debris, oil buildup and unhealthy bacteria. We recommend rinsing with apple cider vinegar 3 days prior to your henna treatment. After rinsing, you'll find that your hair is incredibly softer and easier to manage. For extra cleansing power, you can followup with a Zen Detox clay mask treatment.

2. Sit in the sun for warmth to help bring out the color

Cassia obovata's dye releasing abilities are affected by the environment, with particular sensitivities to temperature. More dye will be released by blonde henna in warm temperatures, with the inverse happening in cold environments. To get the most out of your blonde henna, while the mixed paste is soaking on your hair, spend some time in the sun, making sure your hair gets enough direct light. The lemon in your henna mixture will also benefit from the light, creating a more pronounced sunstreak effect.

3. Use Euro Oil to combat dryness

The lemon that we recommend adding to your blonde henna mixture can be very drying for your hair. To combat this, add no more than 3 teaspoons of Euro Oil to the mixture. This will result in your hair being measurably softer. Be sure not to add more than 3 teaspoons, as this may diminish the cassia obovata's dye release.

4. For the tea, start off with more water than you think you'll need

Many people start off making the Blonde Tea with 2 cups of water. But that water will sometimes evaporate or be absorbed into the plant material, leaving you with less than 2 cups when it comes time to mix it. To ensure a potent tea mixture, you only need to check the color, which should always be a rich golden color, indicating that it is potent enough.

5. For sticking power, start with neutral henna

Cassia obovata does not always stick to hair the first time around. However, it does very well at sticking to itself, that is other layers of cassia obovata. The dye works like glosses of paint, each layer building upon itself. That's why, if your blonde henna isn't sticking as well as you would like, trying doing a neutral henna treatment. This will provide a nice base layer of Cassia obovata for your blonde henna dye to stick to.

That's it! What Other Tips Have You Found for Maximizing Your Blonde Henna?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCPjinuWqwI

Affiliate Spotlight: Kayle from Cowgirls & Collard Greens

This week we caught up with Morrocco Method affiliate, Kayle Martin of Cowgirls & Collard Greens On her website, Kayle shares her advice on becoming a vegan cowgirl or cowboy. We love her vegan recipes! 

You changed to a vegan diet. What started you on your healthy journey?

I became a vegetarian when I was twelve after my beloved backyard cow ended up on my dinner plate, but it wasn't until I was thirty years old that I became vegan after being diagnosed with breast cancer. 

What was your mission in creating Cowgirls and Collard Greens? And have you achieved it?

I was motivated to start a blog and website to simply help other people. My life changed in so many positive ways after my journey with breast cancer that I wanted to share my successes with others. I wasn't sure where things would go with Cowgirls & Collard Greens, but I'm a year and a half in and I think things are going quite well. I have a substantial following and social media presence and I receive emails from around the world asking me about my journey to health. I've enjoyed giving many talks this year about my journey to wellness and my plant based diet. My blog primarily revolves around vegan food, but I would like to expand to cover other topics of health and wellness. I'm not sure that I am where I'd like to be, but I move forward everyday with the blog and website. I'm excited to see where it will take me next!

What is your best advice to someone starting out with creating a brand/business?

The best advice, which I didn't want to hear or believe at the time I heard it was, "start before you are ready". If I wouldn't have taken that advice I'd likely still be planning and working on the blog and website and never have taken action to launch it. We all have to start somewhere. I'd also suggest working with someone in your specific industry who knows the ins and outs so you can get feedback to ensure that you are on the right track. A marketing coach would be ideal.

With the year coming to an end, what would you say has been your "Year Highlight"?

I'd have to say that being chosen as the October/November 2014 cover girl of Inspire Health magazine was definitely the highlight. It was a total surprise and I am so very honored to have been a part of it all. It's been a gift to be able to share my story.

We love you being apart of the Morrocco Method Community. What is your favorite MM product?

Wow, there are so many incredible products to choose from, and I haven't even tried them all! I'd have to say that the Sea Essence shampoo as well as the Pearl Essence Cream Rinse are my favorites (as stated in my product review from my blog from earlier this year: http://www.cowgirlsandcollardgreens.com/product-review-morrocco-method-hair-care/). To those of you who haven't tried these, giddy up on over and get some!   Thanks Kayle! Check out her article in Inspire Health maa

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